RWBY: Fade Away
by Tekurai
Summary: He laid motionless in a field of white. Red blossomed from his wounds as his heart turned to ash. In his last moment he died a soldier. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer a soldier, but a boy residing in a Grimm-infested world. In this life, he decides to walk the path of a hunter carrying with him the remnants of his past, searching for purpose.


**RWBY: Fade Away**

 **Chapter 1: First Day**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for this story and the OCs in it.**

* * *

Raith Hei Lang.

That was the name of the black-clad teen standing before Ozpin, the famed retired hunter and headmaster of Beacon Academy. He stood there silently while the bespectacled silver haired man sipped his coffee leisurely.

The teen had just arrived moments ago at Beacon Academy, the top combat school of Vale, and it was only moments ago when he was greeted by Glynda Goodwitch's stern, frosted glare. Although he would never admit it, the blonde huntress' glare did scare him—not a lot—but slightly. Scared as he may be, Raith did not blame anyone but himself for such a cold greeting for he knew the very reason as to why she was displeased to see him.

A second passed, followed by another and then another, but still no one spoke a word. The only audible sounds were the clanking of the mechanical clock above them and the occasional sips and swallows of Ozpin with his coffee. Raith continued to stand there silently with hands behind a straightened back, much like a soldier at attention before a superior officer. Any signs of anxiety was kept hidden behind a mask of indifference and patience. The spiky black-haired teen was well aware that the Headmaster was observing him, deciding whether or not to let him stay. He could do nothing but wait.

Finally, Ozpin spoke. "I'm glad to see that you're finally here, Mr. Hei Lang. It would appear that your mentor has successfully persuaded you to take up my offer."

The middle aged man's voice was smooth and collected. Unable to detect a hint of emotion in his words, Raith let out a small sigh before directing his deep, electrifying violet eyes at Ozpin's.

"Yes, it was not only my mentor but the entire clan that took part in persuading me to come here." His voice was low and somewhat hoarse from the lack of use but gentle nevertheless. He paused briefly before Ozpin nodded at him to continue. "Through their endless pleas and reasoning, I have realized awhile ago that potential can flourish sooner if nourished in the proper environments. In my case, I may have experience in battling Grimms, but I was never properly trained to do so. Instead of self experimenting with the lives of my fellow clansmen at stake, I would rather gain the knowledge and experience needed at Beacon at a much faster pace with smaller risks."

"With further honed skills and experience, the outcome of battles may be controlled deducting the amount of casualties," Ozpin finished for him.

Raith nodded at the Headmaster's conclusion with an inexpressive yet serious gaze. Although he was reluctant in leaving his clan practically defenseless to attend Beacon, he knew that getting stronger was the only option if he wished to preserve the clan from the Grimms. The clan and his mentor was all that he has left—in this world.

Satisfied with the answer, Ozpin chuckled and smiled coolly at Raith. It was months ago that he stumbled upon the spiky teen and the wolf-taming clan when he went to fetch the relics for this year's initiation. Their meeting was brief but Raith left behind a bloody impression when a pack of Grimms appeared before the group. The teen did not show a hint of hesitation at the sight of death, Grimm or human—instead he embraced it. He followed his instincts to control the flow of the battle and ripped apart Grimm after Grimm, holding his ground with unique strategies and skills until help arrived. His bravery and wise judgments made him nearly unstoppable in battle. The boy was meant to be a hunter. He had the potential.

So much potential.

After the attack, Ozpin approached him and offered him a place in Beacon.

The Grimm blood covered teen flat-out refused in a split second—something that amused Ozpin greatly.

When questioned why, his answer was simple: the clan. His only wish was to protect the clan, a nomadic group mixed with humans and Faunus that kindly took him in till the very end. It was an admirable answer, but at the same time foolish. Even though Ozpin knew there were other reasons for his decision, he did not look into it.

It was his mentor that apologized to Ozpin and asked to hold up the offer and one by one, the clansmen came to him asking for the same thing. They wanted the young teen to thrive and walk the path of greatness. They knew he had potential and they knew that potential would prosper if he had proper resources to learn from—a fact that no one can disagree upon after witnessing the battle.

Ozpin agreed and so he waited. He waited for the teen when he returned to the academy knowing he would show up sooner or later. The school initiation came and went, but the spiky-haired young man never appeared. That was a several weeks ago and here he was now, standing before Ozpin with calm determination, just like he predicted.

Again Ozpin smiled. Taking another sip of coffee, he stared at the young hunter-to-be, fully covered in a tattered black cloak. He then asked the question that would determine the teen's fate.

"Why do you want to become a hunter?"

Raith's response was instant. "I want to protect the ones I call family."

The honest answer caused Ozpin's lips to move upwards once again. He was so used to heroic answers like protect humanity or preserve world peace, but Raith's answer was the opposite—almost. He did not care for humanity as a whole but only those he deemed worthy and that was more than enough, for now.

Silence came again but Raith did not falter, he merely waited for the man's next words.

"Welcome to Beacon Academy, Mr. Hei Lang."

The first three words echoed in Raith's mind like a ripple: Welcome to Beacon.

"Thank you for accepting my lateness, Headmaster Ozpin," Raith replied promptly, still composed even after receiving the life changing news. His feelings were a mix between relief and regret. Relief because his rushed journey to Vale was not for nothing, and regret because he did not offer a proper farewell to anyone before flying off. He could no longer return to the clan until graduation, but he accepted the fact wholeheartedly. School was something he has yet to experience, so he certainly looked forward to it.

"Please, just call me Professor. I will leave you in Glynda's hands as of now. If you have any questions, ask them now before you go or you can just ask Glynda." Ozpin took another sip of coffee and as if on cue, the blonde huntress entered the room with a soft knock. Like earlier, her expression was blank of emotion but the sternness was apparent in her wintry green eyes.

"Yes..." Raith started slowly. "I have just one question—will I be working alone or will I be placed in a group?"

The question caused Ozpin to pause briefly before he placed his coffee down. He then gave a small glance at Glyanda before focusing his attention on Raith again. "The freshmen are already divided into teams of four...However, since you transferred in late we will allow you to pick the team of your choice. But let me warn you Mr. Hei Lang, the team you choose will be the team you will be with for the next four years. You will be working with them on a regular basis and the decision cannot be undone."

To emphasize his point, Ozpin looked intently into Raith's unwavering, sharp violet eyes. "You have until Friday to pick a team—three days. If you have not chosen a team by then you will have to take the initiation alone and we will decide on a team for you based on your performance. My advice is that you get to know your classmates first before finalizing your decision."

Giving a resolute nod at Ozpin's words, Raith turned to follow Goodwitch out of the office.

Alone or not, Raith was determined to graduate Beacon alive. The clan, the first and last tie he has in this world needed him and he would be damned if he failed to protect his loved ones. Times may have changed, but the piles of bodies from those days still haunt him to this day.

History must not repeat itself, no matter what.

Before leaving, Raith turned around momentarily to face Ozpin, offering one final thanks. "Thank you again, Professor Ozpin."

* * *

When Team RWBY and the other students settled in for their Grimm Studies class, they were expecting their Professor, Peter Port, to go on another rant about his glorious past feats as a huntsman before the actual lecture. It was something that everyone dreaded but have grown accustomed to after a full week at Beacon. The man had the ability to drive a good majority of his listeners to the brink of death with his tales and because of this, most students had to mentally prepare themselves. So imagine their surprise when Port did not start another mind-numbing story about him capturing a live Beowolf, but remain silent while Glynda Goodwitch, their combat/duel instructor, walked in with a spiky, black-haired young man in tow.

The entire class watched the newcomers enter and soon quiet whispers went around the room.

Team RWBY along with members of Team JNPR eyed the black-haired male curiously. Unlike them, the teen was not wearing a Beacon uniform—instead he was clad entirely in black, from a black high collar sleeveless shirt to black pants and boots, to a black cloth that covered one leg supported by black leather belts down to black gloves. The only visible spec of color on him was the purple bandana tied on his left wrist and his deep, soul piercing violet eyes that shone with confidence and patience. A silver wolf head pendant with purple gemmed eyes hung from his neck, resting on his chest and a single silver stud piercing was visible on his left ear.

The teen's entire appearance just screamed mysterious and badass in Ruby and Yang's opinion. Weiss, the proud dust heiress, however just thought of him as a typical punk while Blake neutrally continued to observe the scene in calm.

Before anyone could say anything more, the bell rang and Goodwitch cleared her throat promptly.

The effect was immediate as everyone went silent, giving the huntress their undivided attention. With a slight nod of appreciation, Goodwitch stood in the center of teaching platform and began the introduction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take a moment of your time to introduce to you a new student," she motioned to the teen besides her who offered the class a small nod. His piercing eyes caused many to unconsciously shiver. "This is Mr. Raith Hei Lang; due to certain circumstances he had to transfer in late. Starting today he will be a first year student like the rest of you—and before anyone will ask, the answer is no; Mr. Lang does not have a permanent team, yet."

Every student in the classroom felt their eyes widened in disbelief at the huntress's words for her message was as clear as day: the new student was open for recruitment.

Excitement coursed through the freshmen teams for different reasons, but Ruby, the leader of Team RWBY was the most enthusiastic of them. She was excited not because of the possibility of gaining more man power for the team, no, she was simply excited at the idea of making a new friend. As socially awkward as she may be, Ruby was a person that looked forward to meeting and befriending others, and that excitement caused her molten silver eyes to sparkle like stars.

Yang, Team RWBY's busty blonde brawler just laughed at her sister's behavior while Weiss, the ever prideful heiress was ready to snap at her childish dolt of a partner. Before any action could be taken, a serious but feather gentle voice that greatly contrasted with its owner's sharp appearance broke Weiss' attention from Ruby.

"Like Professor Goodwitch stated, my name is Raith," the teen started, giving the class a reserved but friendly smile. That smile however, could not be compared to the delightfulness conveyed by his brilliant violet eyes, something only a few like Blake took notice of. "I look forward to studying alongside everyone."

Nodding at Raith's quick but polite introduction, Goodwitch turned to thank Professor Port for allowing them to take up his class time and then turned back to teen again. "Mr. Hei Lang, your uniform and other belongings will be delivered to your room tonight. Please make sure to read the guidelines and ask your teachers for the materials you have missed." With those words, Goodwitch offered the class a farewell and promptly left the classroom.

The moment Goodwitch closed the door, Port stepped up to the new addition. "Well then young man, why don't you find a seat first so we could get class started," the big professor advised Raith, his mustache moving with every syllable spoken.

Nodding, the teen proceed to find an open seat close to the front while ignoring the stares of the class and found one, it was a seat right next Blake.

"Mind if I sit here?" he softly asked, staring directly into the Blake's amber eyes. If he noticed how the girl's black bow unnaturally twitched or how her eyes widened to a degree after presumably sniffing the air, he said nothing.

Shaking her head as an answer, Blake just moved over a tad bit towards Yang to give the new student more room.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," was Blake's simple reply. Beside her, Yang and Ruby were preparing to greet their new classmate, but unfortunately Port started talking.

"Now before we start, allow me to tell you another magnificent tale about a young, handsome man…"

* * *

Raith was a patient person. It was a virtue that he painfully cultured throughout his previous life for the sake of survival and it was a virtue that stayed with him even after his rebirth. That patience however, was running extremely low as Peter Port continued on his never-ending tale of him slaying a nest of Nevermores in his days of youth—for the last thirty-five minutes. The man's vexing voice had somehow broken his mentality of awareness, thus giving him a minor headache. In short, it felt as if he was in a lesser hell being talked to death.

 _If this retired hunter could dull my senses with words alone then I have truly underestimated the instructors of Beacon Academy. They are to be feared..._ he thought grimly.

Inwardly sighing, Raith filtered out the Professor's voice and secretly observed his classmates. He was bored and he was also curious about the people he might be working with. Ozpin has given him three days to choose a team and three days was barely enough time, especially with the initiation coming right after. The best he could do now was observe his classmates and find a group with people he could at least get along with for the next four years.

Teamwork and battle formations would not be an issue for him since he could easily adapt different roles with his current skills and past experiences. He was, after all, a survivalist. There was only one issue, and that issue was leadership. As of one of the many combat mages that stood in the frontlines, he has witnessed more than enough deaths due to poor administration. Allies and friends fell one after another while the imprudent magic councils rambled on about their idealistic bullshit with being humanity's protectors.

They believed in protecting the powerless, the humans, for it is their duty and justice. The mighty protectors will forever preserve the peace of man from the shadows and balance the laws of nature. They were to never harm the protected. Ever.

It was because of such naive views that the _Magus Purge_ happened.

And it was because he followed their orders until the very end that he perished under bullets and flames. Perished by the very hands of the humans, the Union—the ones his kind protected since the moment man walked the Earth will consciousness of knowledge.

In the end the protected killed their protectors.

Ironic. It was so ironic that he couldn't even laugh when the bullet pierced his skull and the fire set his heart ablaze.

And it was because of such a past that he struggled to hold faith in others.

Even if he couldn't remember it all, the war has taught him something: betrayal was easy and life was fragile.

This was the reality he faced and will once again face after his rebirth.

Taking a deep breath to ease his distraught mind, Raith tactfully eyed the students.

 _Now is not the time to be distracted, I need to find a suitable team,_ he silently thought.

The first team Raith studied was the team he was currently sitting with: Team RWBY starting with Blake. He could tell that the beautiful raven-haired girl was the cool reserved type based on the blank expression she wore throughout class. She was definitely the type he would get along with. Then again, he saw her bow twitch unnaturally like she knew she was being observed.

Next was the distracted Yang, who just happened to be busy doodling a yellow creature shooting electricity out of its cheeks with a happy go lucky smirk. With her smirk and posture, he could only deem her character as playful and perhaps outgoing. She was another type he was fine with. After all, every team needs a laidback one to anchor them from breaking down. Not to mention, her lilac eyes reminded him of someone...of _her_...

Before Raith could further examine the rest of the group members, Port sanguinely called him out with a booming voice.

"Mr. Hei Lang!"

His name echoed the room, causing the former soldier to groan ever so slightly in silent despair. Those around him who noticed his reaction could only offer him a look of sympathy or a small, distrustful glare in Weiss' case.

"Yes, Professor?" Raith asked with a gentle voice that obscured his inner annoyance at the man. He met the man's eyes with a poker face capable of rivaling Blake's.

The professor had somehow knew that Raith has stopped paying attention to his story midway and decided to call him out for it. First day or not, Port would not baby any of his students. They are hunters in training and will one day leave Beacon as certified hunters to protect mankind against the Grimms.

They were to be heroes—and heroes must always be prepared for anything that comes their way.

"What is the most efficient way to put down a Beowolf, Mr. Hei Lang?" Port questioned.

Aware that he was the center of attention yet again, Raith inwardly sighed but answered the question. He may not have paid attention but he knew the methods of slaying Beowolves from daily experience. "Beowolves are one of the fastest species of Grimms out there, however they lack defensive capabilities due to their thin armor. Therefore, the most efficient way to dispose of one would be to either injure its legs to hinder its movements and find an opening between its armor or surpass its speed and deliver a vital blow to bleed it out."

Finishing his answer, Raith expected Port to give him a simple nod and move on to another student, but to his distress the man did not let him off the hook.

"A brilliant answer given Mr. Hei Lang, you will make a fine hunter someday!" Port boomed with optimistic delight, not noticing Raith's small grimace at his earsplitting praise. It did not help that the man just happened to be standing right in front of him. "Now Mr. Hei Lang, since you're already clad in combat attire would you perhaps like to demonstrate your superb tactics against Beowolves to end today's lesson?"

 _What lesson? I didn't even learn anything useful,_ Raith thought to himself.

With great effort to not turn down Port's rather unappetizing proposal, Raith wordlessly offered a nod in response.

Although Raith would not verbally say it, the energetic professor has just offered him a great chance to display some of his combat abilities to the class. It could serve as a form of self-promotion and it could assist in his mission of finding a team quicker. The pros outweighed the cons in this situation. Plus, it was just a Beowolf.

"Excellent!" Port exclaimed heartily with a clap of his hands. "Please come down and warm up if you must while I prepare the prey I collected then."

There was a hint of smugness when he said the word prey.

Nodding once again, Raith slowly stood up and walked towards the platform while Port readied the caged Grimm and his blunderbuss-axe.

Within minutes everything was set. Raith stood readily across the room from the cage while adjusting his black gloves. In this mere battle his weapons were not needed, only his fists, legs, aura and possibly his semblance. He was just that certain of victory.

With one final adjustment, Raith calmly took in deep breaths to relax his body and fell into a loose stance with a mind emptied of thoughts and distractions.

At that moment nothing existed. No Port. No audience. No classroom. The only existence was him, the small arena, and his objective: the growling, enraged beast trapped behind metal bars.

With one final deep breath, a pale violet aura suddenly flared around Raith's body but disappeared just as quickly as it came. His serious, warm clear eyes then hardened into cold predatory glints.

He was ready.

As if sensing the unspoken message, Port brought down his weapon upon the golden padlock, shattering it. The destroyed pieces of metal dropped to the ground with a dull thud. A ferocious howl followed. Then, a muscular, black blur of fur shot forth from the cage with gleaming fangs and claws, its demonic glowing red eyes leaving a light trial. Those eyes were on Raith, and only Raith—like a bull seeing red, it charged at him.

"Begin!"

* * *

When the man-sized werewolf-like Grimm lunged at him with its outreached, sharpened white claws, Raith did absolutely nothing. He did not make any attempts to dodge or counter or even use his aura to endure the blow. Instead, he just stood there indifferently in his lax stance as the Beowolf closed the distance between them.

Warning cries from his audience were faintly heard when the creature reached him, but he paid them no heed. The Beowolf snarled, like it was arrogantly saying the hunt was already over when its claws nearly connected with Raith's exposed neck—or so it thought.

In Raith's battle-wired mind, his senses snapped into action and the world slowed—he saw everything. He saw the beast's muscle tensing for movement. He saw its claws further extending to dig into his neck, aiming to sever it from his body. He saw the anger and bloodlust. And he saw the possibility of death—Death.

Abyss.

End.

Nothingness.

These thoughts flashed before his mind along with fragmented memoirs of flowers, magic, blood, fire, darkness, wolves and snow. It was a combination of old and new, the past and the present.

A familiar sensation of uselessness and hidden rage surged throughout his entire being. It was light, but the feelings stirred his body to take action, to shoot upward, just as the attack drew closer and closer until it was only a mere centimeter away.

The creature's claw met empty space.

Shocked at the disappearance of its prey, the midnight creature screeched to a halt, causing it to nearly slam into a wall. Turning around, it looked confusingly left, right and left again as furious growls left its throat along with trails of slick saliva. Its glowing red eyes scanned the surroundings whilst its black muzzle ardently sniffed the air.

There was no Raith in sight, but it caught the faint smell of leather from above. Immediately the werewolf Grimm snapped its head upward—but it was too late.

With blinding speed that was almost inhumane, Raith's aura enhanced drop kick connected with the creature's mask-like skull with a sickening crack. The attack was so quick, so precise, visible fractures formed on its red and white mask causing the werewolf to howl in white fury and pain, but Raith was not finished.

In quick succession, Raith somersaulted away from the beast's attack range, giving the viewers a display of his notable agility borne from years of practice. He quickly and cautiously observed the wounded creature before diving in to attack from the side. Effortlessly maneuvering around the beast's hasty swipe attacks, Raith grabbed one of its bone-spiked covered arms and yanked it down hard. With gravity against it, the beast could only fall forward, greeting a leather gloved aura fist to its throat and a bone shattering stomp to its back knee.

Another howl escaped its jaw as it fell, filled of pain, anger and fear.

Staggering backwards from the vital assault, the Beowolf desperately tried to retreat, but Raith abruptly slammed a powerful hook punch to its unprotected chin. With another echoing crack, the creature's massive body sailed across the room and smashed into the ground, unmoving.

Inhaling a deep breath, Raith did not release his battle stance, but stared at the downed beast instead.

An uncanny silence followed with many trying to digest the swift battle they have just witnessed. A beyond pleased Port however, shattered the silence with praise. "Brav—"

Port never finished his sentence when a sudden livid roar shook the room. A roar so deafening that vibrations were felt, causing the audience to shiver internally. It was a roar belonging to none other than the barely conscious Beowolf trembling to stand.

The beast no longer stood on its hind legs but on all fours instead while favoring the leg Raith disabled. Pieces of its white mask sprinkled the arena floor as it let loose vicious, choking growls, unwilling to accept defeat justified by its folding ears. It realized danger, but still it stood tall with barely contained rage that threatened to break apart its own mind. What little logic left inside the beast's mind was overcome by instincts to survive. Trapped with no opportunity to escape, it charged at Raith once again with every bit of its might.

Even with a noticeably slower speed, the beast was still quick as it surged forward at Raith with the aim of ripping apart the former soldier's throat with its fangs. It was a very predictable move. And unlike earlier, Raith stepped forward to welcome his aggressor with calm confidence.

He knew that even with reduced speed, a Beowolf's attack was still deadly and so he narrowed his gaze, promptly eyeing for any possible openings to land a finishing blow. The armor of the Beowolf may be thin but it was still durable so he avoided those areas and focused his search for soft patches of exposed black fur. His target was acquired when the beast leaped up at him, exposing its armor-less chest.

 _There._

In one moment Raith was a being stilled of motion. In the next he was a blur of black with ominous glowing violet eyes delivering a devastating fist attack laced with unseen force towards the unfortunate airborne beast.

The dark creature never stood a chance as a wave of numbing pain exploded from within its chest, tearing apart layers of external tissues.

The battle ended with the sounds of a dying howl and flesh hitting hard ground.

* * *

Stunned. The entire audience was stunned into silence as they witnessed the formerly enraged Beowolf plummet to the ground, taking one final, shaky breath before it began to dissolve into black mist.

From their seats, Team RWBY, more specifically Ruby was marveled by the battle. So marveled that she was nearly jumping out of her seat.

"Guys, did you see that? Did you see that?! He was _soooo_ fast!" Ruby exclaimed, her silver eyes sparkling with intensity. "The Beowolf couldn't even react! Oh, and his eyes—they were glowing! Do you think his semblance is speed like mine?"

"Calm down you dolt!" the heiress scowled her hyperactive partner. Unlike Ruby, Weiss hid her shock well behind a facade of coolness, but she agreed with Ruby about the new student's speed. He was certainly fast and he certainly had a degree of skills which led the heiress to question the last moment of the battle—the teen's last attack never touched the Grimm.

Weiss was certain of it because she had formerly thought the teen miscalculated the timing of his attack when he unleashed a punch towards the Beowolf whom was still a fair distance away. She was proven wrong when the Grimm's body crumpled down on the spot like a crushed paper bag with a slightly caved in chest. That was only the weird part. The weirdest part was that Weiss did not sense a single ounce of aura used in that attack, only his previous attacks.

"The real question here is how he killed the Beowolf when his attack didn't physically connect." Weiss' eyebrows scrunched together in thought. Her mind raced with possible theories to explain the phenomenon witnessed by many until she was abruptly interrupted by Yang.

"If you're so curious about it just ask the guy when he's back, Princess," the blonde grinned as she cracked her knuckles. "But man, that left hook was awesome. I want to have a spare with him now to see which one of us packs the awesomer punch."

Yang's last sentence, more specifically the second from last word caused Weiss to scrunch her brows even further as she frowned at the blonde. She was about ready to sermonize her teammate for tarnishing the English language with nonexistent words when her energetic partner suddenly butt in.

"Oh oh, then I want to race him to see which of us is faster! And we could invite him to join our team—it could be so much fun!"

"You two—!"

Sensing an argument raising, Team RWBY's resident ninja decided to cut in, preventing Weiss from losing her temper on the two sisters and their childish ways. "He most likely used his semblance on the last attack. It would also explain the glowing eyes."

Blake's theory caused both Yang and Ruby to nod in agreement. As hunters in training, it was common knowledge to know that semblances varied from hunter to hunter. Semblances are the manifestation of one's nature, representing the person's character. No two semblances can be the same, only similar in most cases. Some semblances even have side-effects when used such as glowing eyes or hair.

"But there was no aura detected," the heiress argued, keenly eyeing the new student making his way back to his seat. "It is impossible to use your semblance without your aura."

"He may be a master of aura manipulation, using the minimal amount required to active his semblance." Blake said thoughtfully. "The way he defeated the Beowolf was fast and efficient so it's a possibility."

Reluctantly, Weiss accepted Blake's presumption but in her mind, she was still suspicious of the new student. Beacon was an authoritarian school that has produced the best hunters in the world, so the standards of being accepted into it was high. It was beyond her comprehension on why they would even bother to accept a student who failed to show up on time unless he was someone with a hidden background or he was just _that_ talented. She doubted the latter, for the skills he displayed were just slightly above average. So just who is he?

The new student was a veil of mystery, from his distant appearance to his unorthodox fighting style to even his semblance. And to Weiss, that mystery was a possible threat. As the heiress of Remnant's wealthiest Dust Company, Weiss had experienced her fair share of attempted exploits and kidnappings, so she was more than a little irked about the idea of some stranger possibly joining her team.

 _I will need to keep an eye on this new student, he could be a spy for all I know,_ she thought to herself.

Unbeknownst to Weiss, a certain cat Faunus shared her thoughts.

* * *

It was lunch time now and Team RWBY along with Team JNPR sat together, chatting amongst each other while trying to console a depressed Jaune Arc who was gloomily staring at his unfinished meal. The young man has recently gained the attention of a certain Cardin Winchester and his groupie, making his life a living hell. Harassment such as being taunted, tripped and shoved into rocket lockers has repeatedly weathered down the insecure young man, and the looks of pity from his friends, especially Pyrrha's, certainly did not help in his case.

"Jaune? Are you sure you're okay?" Pyrrha asked her distracted leader, causing the others to turn their attention to him.

"If you need help dealing with Cardin, don't hold back and just ask us..." Ruby trailed, her former liveliness changing into concern for her friend. She had witnessed Jaune getting bullied several times already, but whenever she confronted him about it the blond would laugh it off and said he was perfectly fine. He was certainly not fine, but she couldn't say or do much about it, for Cardin and his group never left any evidence behind.

"Ohhhh, we can break his legs!" Nora suddenly suggested as she topped the table like a conquering queen. Animated stars sparkled around the excited young woman, reflecting the ridiculousness of the idea.

The others sweat dropped and just stared at her like she was insane until Ren patiently ordered her to get off the table. She only complied when Ren offered her his dessert.

"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously!" Jaune insisted with a forced smile. "Cardin is a jerk to everyone, not just me. My little issue aside, what do you guys think of the new transfer student?"

The eagerness to change the subject was so apparent in Jaune's voice the others couldn't help but go with it. They wanted Jaune to talk and ask them for help, but for now, they will have to patiently wait until he was ready. Even Nora, the uncontainable ball of liveliness understood this.

"He has some skills." Weiss hmphed coolly, "But I'm suspicious."

Weiss' statement caused Ruby to stare at her partner questionably, but she chose to ignore it for the time being. The lost energy from earlier returned to the young leader's silver eyes and a bright smile graced her innocent features. "He is fast! And he seems like a really nice person."

The heiress wanted to scoff at her partner's statement. Really, the young girl was too naive and too trusting towards others. "Ruby, don't just assume someone is nice based off their appear—"

Once again, Weiss was soundly cut off by Yang. "He can pack a mean punch," the blonde stated, effectively ignoring Weiss' annoyed glare. She has long gotten use to the white-haired girl's glares by now and just couldn't resist irritating her. Plus, Yang was an awesome big sister, and awesome big sisters don't let their baby sisters get screamed at by a wild Schnee banshee at every turn. "Too bad we couldn't invite him for lunch."

At these words, Ruby couldn't help but frown cutely. "I wanted to invite him to have lunch with us, but he disappeared the moment the bell rang..." she muttered in utter disappointment.

True to her words, Ruby did try to approach their new classmate seconds after class ended, but he was already out the door heading the opposite direction of the dining hall. She had thought that he may perhaps didn't know where he was heading and unknowingly ran after him much to Weiss' dismay. Unfortunately though, Ruby lost him the moment she rounded a corner and nearly crashed into Goodwitch, earning her a small lecture about running in the hallways. It was a great shock to the little brunette, for she couldn't understand how a student who wasn't even wearing the school uniform could disappear so easily in plain sight like a ghost. What more, how did he move so silently that no one noticed until it was too late? Ruby had no answer to that, she only knew that she had lost an opportunity to get to know her new classmate better.

"Cheer up lil sis," Yang comforted the downcast brunette. "There's always next time."

Reenergized by her sister's support, Ruby smiled and turned to a silent Blake. The raven-haired girl had been quiet the entire lunch. Usually she would join in the conversation from time to time, even if it was just a few words, but had yet to speak a single word since morning. Everyone understood that Blake was not the talkative type, but today, she was too quiet, too distracted. It worried Ruby.

"Blake? What do you think about our new classmate?" Ruby asked the daydreaming faunus.

When Blake heard her name being called, she was snapped out of her reverie. She was internally startled when she realized that the entire group was staring at her with questioning looks of concern, causing her to somewhat scowl herself for being careless. She had been rather distracted by thoughts of her new neighbor and his abnormal scent.

 _He smells like a faunus...or should I say multiple species of faunus. Just who is he?_ Her thoughts turned grim as she theorized the identity of the new student. They were not good guesses.

"I..." she started to answer, but never finished when a sudden cry of pain disrupted the calm surrounding.

Everyone's attention became focused on the next table, more specifically, on a brunette rabbit Faunus girl whose ears were being painfully pulled by a prick-looking male, Cardin Winchester.

"Ow! That hurts!" the Faunus girl grimaced in pain, ceasing her struggle for a moment in hopes for her ears to be released. She tried her best to scoot away from Cardin however, her escape route was cut off when one of the hooligans, Russel Thrust, purposefully planted a boot down on the vacant spot beside her.

"Please let go..." she pleaded again, her head lowering and ears jolting in pain and dread.

Cardin did not let go, instead, he turned to his teammates and laughed gaily, "Told you it was real!"

The entire group of males howled with laughter while spouting insults at the poor rabbit faunus who was on the verge of tears. Her pleas to be released fell on deaf ears as her tormenter pulled harder, earning another whimper of pain.

"What a _freak_!" Russel Thrush guffawed, causing another wave of mocking laughter. One of them even had his hands above his head with fingers splayed out while he danced, no doubt trying to imitate the girl's lengthy brown ears. A cruel smile marred each and every one of their faces as they continued to harass the girl. They were very much like a group of predators toying with their prey before the meal.

From afar, Team JNPR and most of Team RWBY observed the scene with aching hearts. Weiss, on the other hand, merely went back to filing her nails, not bothering to acknowledge the scene happening before her. It was a small action that went unnoticed by all except Blake and it caused the cat faunus to frown somewhat disapprovingly. All thoughts of the new student evaporated from her mind, replaced with scorn for Team CRDL.

While Blake maintained her observation of both Weiss and her fellow faunus, endless hurt and anger boiled within. It was an anger that threatened to burst out with every passing second, but her reasoning kept it at bay. She couldn't do it anymore. She had stood up for her kind for seventeen long years, yet the flame of hope ignited by his words to fight for equality had long been diminished by the countless burdens and sins she had committed. It was an impossible dream.

In the end she, Blake Belladonna, had given up.

It was the reason why she was here now, as a student of Beacon Academy, and not as one of the leading members of the White Fang—the terror of the human race right alongside the Grimms.

When another whimper of pain echoed through the air, Blake felt her hands clench into fists underneath the table, trembling. Her cat ears twitched tensely under her bow and her amber eyes narrowed dangerously. Her body and mind almost went numb with anger as she fought the urge to rise and go over to trounce those vultures.

She wanted to help.

She wanted to help so badly, but invisible chains of fear held her down on the spot. If Blake was to help the brunette, then her identity would surely be exposed along with her bloody past. She would then become another victim of racial discrimination and be hunted by the authorities. She would have to give up the peaceful life of a student and live the life of a runaway criminal.

More importantly, she would be alone, again. But still, the anger within continued to boil like a raging storm and her throat tightened with every insult heard. She wanted to help.

She wanted to make a stand.

"Atrocious," across from Blake, the red-haired Amazon voiced her displeasure. A small frown formed on her lips as she glared at the Cardin and his squad. "I can't stand people like them."

 _You are not the only one,_ Blake thought bitterly. But she kept her silence. Her rationality was _burning_ —burning so destructively, on the verge of collapsing—yet no one seem to notice.

"It must be hard being a faunus…" Yang sadly piped in, resting her cheek in her palm.

Blake remained quiet at these words.

Another whimper was heard, and howling laughter came after. They still did not release the bunny girl and continued to revile her viciously.

"Ha, damn _freak_! You do not belong here, you hear me?"

When Blake heard those words, her mind went blank. Her trembling stopped. The light in her eyes vanish, replaced with an amber abyss of ice cold rage. Haunted memories flashed by. Blood. Screams. Hate. And the pain. Pain. _Pain_. There was nothing but _pain_. They held her down and mocked. Their words were exactly the same that day: You don't belong here.

 **You don't belong here**.

 _What right do you have to say this?_ Blake angrily thought. Her knuckles were now white. Her body subconsciously tensed, ready to move at a moment's notice.

Blake was about to rise, logic long forgotten. She no longer thought of the possible consequences that would fall upon her actions. She was far too enraged to at the moment. She had heard enough of their cruelty. Right now, all she wanted to do was to protect the bunny girl and vent out her long suppressed anger.

Before Blake could fully stand up, a quiet but prevailing voice froze over her entire being, if not the world, with one sentence.

"Please release her."

* * *

 **A/N:** I've been working on this story when the first volume of RWBY came out and after much rewriting/revising the first chapter is finally finished. I am rather excited about writing this story because the OCs in the story will be the characters I'll be using for the video game I'm trying to create. The character bios will not be posted on my profile this time around because I've hand written most of it and it will take some time to type it all up. If anyone can guess what Raith's semblance is, I'll give you a cookie. Please read/enjoy/review!

Also, to those who might be wondering, Raith's name is pronounced as 'wraith.' His last name Hei Lang is the pinyin for black and wolf in Chinese.


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